


Linchpin

by mage_girl



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Boundaries are respected, Cuddling & Snuggling, Multi, Polyamory, Sam Wilson is everyone's favourite, Sam is not amused by Steve's trolling, Steve is a troll when it comes to running circles around Sam, The Avengers live in poly harmony, bucky is adorable, lots of talking, sushi is delicious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-16
Updated: 2015-01-16
Packaged: 2018-03-07 19:01:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3179654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mage_girl/pseuds/mage_girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam Wilson has never regretted becoming one of the Avengers.</p><p>He lives with the loves of his life. He gets to do awesome stuff. </p><p>And then, sometimes Tony happens and Sam wonders exactly how he got involved in all of this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Linchpin

**Author's Note:**

> My undying thank you to Aphrodite_mine for her lovely beta work.
> 
> This is kind of part two to last year's Poly Big Bang fic I wrote. This can be read as a stand alone but feel free to read that one to really get the full picture.

If Sam Wilson would have known what his life would become the day he opened up his front door and saw Captain America and a red-haired woman standing on his porch, he might have closed the door in their faces.

It’s not like it isn’t _awesome_ being part of the Avengers. It is. It’s so very awesome. He has new wings, courtesy of Tony Stark. He has movie nights and snuggle nights and take out food nights. He has his own floor where he can leave his stuff hanging around and he can also go down to the communal areas and spend time with people he’s come to regard as friends.

But at moments like this, he wonders if he’d been better off backing away from Steve and Natasha and abandoning them to their fate.

‘Sam… Sam… he’s doing the thing! Saaaam,’ whined Tony.

Sam sighed. ‘Tony, ignore him. Bucky lives for yanking your chain and you do such a fantastic job giving him the reaction he’s hoping for. Dude… let it go.’

Tony sighed and frowned at Bucky who gave the both of him his best ‘who, me?’ look. 

‘Bucky… please try to remember your other partner kinda likes Tony, here. And Tony makes all those cool weapons you like to use. And… would you just chill out a moment,’ muttered Sam.

Bucky raised an eyebrow. ‘’Chill out?’’ he repeated.

‘Please. Don’t even. Don’t even try and pretend like you didn’t make the worst joke in the world during movie night two evenings ago. And if you think I’m calling you Han Solo, you’ve got another think coming,’ added Sam. He stripped off the new wings and set them gently on the stand in the work area. 

‘Bucky getting on your nerves again?’ asked a new voice. Sam looked over and Steve was walking towards them, tugging off his gloves and pushing back the cowl from his head.

‘When isn’t he getting on my nerves again? Or Stark? Or… or almost everyone? Last night, Hawkeye tried to scare me. Again. I swear on my grandmother’s bible that I’m going to borrow Coulson’s taser and give him whatfor the next time he does his Gargoyles impression. On top of the refrigerator. The only one who _doesn’t_ get on my nerves is Bruce. The Other Guy, on the other hand, is on my shit list, too,’ said Sam.

Steve set his gloves down and started undoing the top to his uniform. He glanced up at the sudden silence. ‘What?’ he asked, pausing. 

Sam rolled his eyes. ‘All we need is a pole and some music. Maybe some hip gyrations thrown in for good measure.’

Bucky snickered. ‘Falcon’s got a point, punk. You gonna’ strip down for us?’

Steve blushed and Tony cackled. ‘God bless America!’ he exclaimed, bounding over to claim a kiss.

‘What’s got you upset, Sam?’ asked Steve, ignoring Bucky’s grin.

‘Nothin’... I guess I’m still getting used to things around here,’ admitted Sam. He sighed and sat down on the couch that was conveniently placed next to the work bench.

Bucky sat down next to him, all playfulness forgotten. ‘What are you still getting used to? I’d think you’d be the one to adjust without any problems. Unlike some other people you happen to know.’

‘It’s just...’ Sam sighed again and looked down at his feet.

Steve came over and sat down next to him on the other side, resting a hand on his knee. Tony pulled up a work stool and sat down across from him.

‘Hey.. I know I can run on a bit but I don’t… I mean… I’m really bad at this,’ muttered Tony.

‘It’s not you. It really isn’t… guys, I was raised a certain way, OK? I was raised that a guy met a girl and they dated and they got married, maybe. Maybe had some kids together. My daddy told me that’s what the Lord intended. When I was 10, I realized I liked the girl down the street _and_ my best friend on my Little League team. I didn’t know what to do,’ said Sam, raising his hands and letting them fall.

‘So what _did_ you do?’ asked Steve, curious.

‘Prayed a lot. Made bargains with god. Told myself that it was just a phase, that it would pass on by and became more and more depressed when it didn’t. I still liked girls but I really liked boys, too. One day, my momma sat me down and asked me what was going on. I hadn’t been eating much and not sleeping well, either. Looked like a big ol’ raccoon,’ said Sam with a small laugh.

‘I told her, quietly, that I was gonna’ go to hell because I liked boys and girls. And that daddy was gonna’ whoop my ass something good. And then I told her that I wanted to die,’ said Sam, quietly.

No one said a word. Sam took a deep breath. ‘My momma, she took me in her arms and told me that god didn’t make junk and that nothing I was would make her love me any less. She told me to never mind my daddy, she’d handle it. She told me that if I wanted to date a boy, then I could but he better treat me right or she’d let him know about it.’

‘I wanna hug your mom,’ said Bucky, putting his arm around Sam’s shoulder.

‘She would have loved that. She always had a weakness for big guys with dark hair. She died a few years back. Daddy and her got in the middle of an armed robbery and they both were shot. Daddy died on the scene and momma died on the way to the hospital. I lost both of them just like that,’ said Sam.

‘Did your daddy ever… I mean, what did your mom do?’ asked Steve.

‘She talked to daddy. That was something else. She told him if he really read the bible, he’d remember the part where Jesus said to love everybody and to pay no attention to all that other business and if he thought he was going to kick me out of the house, then he better buy two tickets for the bus. She didn’t give him one hot minute to say a word. She put it all out there and daddy just said, ‘why would you think I’d abandon my son? You think I’m that low?’ and he started crying,’ recalled Sam, tears in his eyes.

Steve wedged in next to Sam and Bucky moved in closer and Sam felt like the world’s largest burrito but it felt good. Tony had leaned forward, his eyes never leaving Sam’s face.

‘I could hear him crying, these big choking gasps and I ran into the room and flung my arms around him. He held me tight and he said, ‘I never meant… I would never...’ and he couldn’t continue. He just held me as tight as he could. Momma put her arms around us and I just… it was good. It was the best day of my life,’ said Sam, softly. He smiled and didn’t stop the tears.

‘So… now?’ asked Tony, circling his forefinger in the air.

‘So now I’m not only out as a bisexual man, I’m dating more than one man. It’s… it’s a little overwhelming,’ admitted Sam.

There was silence as Steve, Bucky, and Tony thought about what Sam said.

‘It could be your overwhelming charisma,’ said Bucky, trying to be helpful.

‘Or your muscular arms. I think between you and Clint, you have the arm muscles market cornered,’ added Tony.

‘Do you want to date Bucky and me?’ asked Steve, going right to the heart of the matter.

‘I do. I really do. It’s just… never thought there wouldn’t be any drama. Never thought I’d see the day where I would go out on a date with one man one night and then his other partner the other night. And nobody is upset. Nobody is pressed. Everyone is all, ‘did you have a fun time?’ and ‘next time, we should go out to eat, too.’ I’m not used to all that,’ explained Sam.

‘Did you date some divas in the day?’ asked Tony. ‘Because I would know all about divas.’

Sam chuckled, ruefully. ‘Nah. I just dated Riley. And he was more than enough for me. The man would give Tony a run for his money. He was something else.’

‘Sounds like it. So do you want to take it slower?’ asked Steve, practical as always. ‘We don’t have to jump into all this. I’m happy to slow down the pace, Sam. This isn’t just about me.’

‘Me, neither,’ agreed Bucky. ‘You had plenty of patience for me when I needed it. If you want to date just one of us, I’m not gonna’ get mad. It’s your call.’

Sam looked at Bucky and Steve, their faces earnest and as open as he’d ever seen them. Bucky, in particular, looked as though he’d sell someone the Brooklyn Bridge if Sam asked him to do so. 

Sam felt a warmth deep down inside, felt that warmth fill up something that had been cold for a long time; ever since Riley had died, as a matter of fact.

‘I think I’ll be OK, fellas. I just… I need to have my moments to freak out, too, you know,’ added Sam.

Bucky grinned. ‘You’re such a mook. Steve and I could take turns dating you. It’s not like we don’t know what it’s like to wait for something. Or someone.’

‘Yeah… but you guys have waited long enough. I keep telling that part of me that’s still terrified that it’s OK. No one is gonna judge me for being with you both. No one is going to come after any of us and hurt us,’ said Sam, quietly.

‘That used to be a thing,’ agreed Bucky.

‘That still _is_ a thing,’ corrected Sam, gently. ‘There’s plenty of people being hurt or murdered because of who they are and who they love. I can’t say I’ve relaxed my guard, much. I still have to be careful and aware of my surroundings.’

‘Don’t blame you, there,’ said Steve. ‘I read the most horrible stuff on the internet. Just when I think people can’t act any worse, someone goes and proves me wrong.’

‘So that explains those days when you completely wreck the boxing bags,’ said Tony, drily. He grins at Steve’s guilty look. ‘I don’t blame you, though. It’s something worth getting worked up over.’

Steve flashed Tony a grateful smile and turned back to Sam. ‘So I want you to be careful. And cautious. I don’t want anything happening to you. One, it’d hurt me and two, it’d piss him off.’ And Steve pointed at Bucky.

Bucky nodded his head, solemnly, and if Sam or Tony thought the Winter Soldier was tamed, they knew better from the look on Bucky’s face. Salted earth and sweet, bloody retribution was in Bucky’s eyes and promised in the curve of his smile. 

‘I don’t want you _ever_ looking at me like that,’ said Tony, fervently. ‘I might have nightmares tonight. Bruce is gonna have to hold me.’

Sam chuckled and the look on Bucky’s face faded to amusement. 

‘What a pity,’ drawled Bucky, his Brooklyn accent in his words.

‘Thanks,’ said Sam. He smiled at all of them. ‘Good to know I can talk to you about this. I’ll get comfortable with this poly stuff. It’s just so new to me.’

Steve rolled his eyes. ‘You should have seen Tony learn. It wasn’t a pretty sight.’

‘Hey!’ yelped Tony. ‘I learned magnificently and it was happily ever after.’

‘Was that what you call it? Because I think the words you’re looking for is ‘awkward as hell,’’ disagreed Steve.

‘I had the best advice in the world. The best advice. Which I followed,’ said Tony.

‘Just keep telling yourself that, Tony,’ teased Steve and he leaned over to give Tony a quick kiss. 

Sam watched, feeling a grin steal over his face when Tony got up from the work stool and announced, loftily, that he had _work_ that needed to be done and why was he wasting his time gossiping like an old hen? 

The grin turned into a series of chuckles as Bucky made clucking noises and Tony groaned theatrically and Steve looked at Sam, rolling his eyes with amusement.

**  
Later, Sam walked into the communal area and grabbed an apple off the breakfast bar.

‘Hey… Falcon… did I scare you last night?’ asked Clint. He was currently perched on top of the cabinet in the room, sightlines clear and visible to his eye.

‘Uh… no. I’m getting used to you,’ responded Sam, taking a bite of apple. 

Clint’s face fell. ‘Awww, Falcon, no. You gotta’ get spooked a little, sometime.’

Natasha walked into the room at that moment and caught Clint’s last sentence. ‘You’re talking to the guy who took on the Winter Soldier with just his wings and a gun. It’s not going to happen, Barton.’

Clint made a face of disappointment. ‘It’s no fun if I can’t get Sam to jump a little when he’s looking for orange juice at two in the morning.’

‘It’s plenty fun if you don’t get me to jump,’ reassured Sam. ‘It’s all the fun in the world, Clint. You’re lucky I didn’t throw that carton of juice at your head.’

Clint snickered. ‘It would have been worth it.’

Sam rolls his eyes (this is a regular gesture with these people) and continues to bite into his apple.

Clint turns his attention to Natasha who is waiting for the toaster to finish toasting her bread. ‘Are we going to go out tonight?’ he asked.

‘I think so. Was Phil joining us?’ asked Natasha.

Clint shook his head ‘no’, sighing as he did so. ‘He’s so busy now. Rebuilding SHIELD is taking a lot of his time. He says he’s sorry and he’ll make it up to us. I told him we understood.’

There was silence from Natasha and Sam watched as emotions flitted across her face, too fast to pin down.

‘I… did I mess up?’ asked Clint, softly.

‘No… I know you meant well but I can speak for myself, Clint. It’s important that I… that it comes from _me_ ,’ explained Natasha, her voice just as soft.

‘Ohhh… oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Sorry,’ repeated Clint, jumping down from his perch and walking over to where Natasha stood. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled his face against her neck.

Natasha smiled as she patted the side of his head. ‘It’s OK, Clint. Just remember next time, OK?’ 

‘I will,’ said Clint, nodding his head and leaning into her touch.

Sam watched this interplay, his eyes tracking the nonverbal messages Natasha and Clint are sending to each other. He knew Natasha was still finding herself and it was important she had the final say in her side of things. It reassured him to see Clint respecting that and their nonverbal apology was sweet to see.

He continued eating his apple as Natasha and Clint smiled at each other. Natasha leaned against the counter and nibbled on her toast. Clint snagged a glass from the cupboard and poured himself some orange juice.

‘Where are you guys going?’ asked Sam.

‘I think we were going to check out the new Thai restaurant Bruce was raving about the other night. He says the spices are amazing. I’m always up for a great new Thai restaurant,’ answered Natasha.

‘I just like food,’ said Clint, nodding his head.

Sam snorted. ‘Of course you do. It sounds like a great date. I think the next time I take Bucky out, we’ll check out some sushi places. He says he wants to try something that has a kinship to ice.’

Natasha rolled her eyes and Clint snickered.

‘Has he had sushi before?’ asked Clint.

‘He says he doesn’t think so but he’s not sure. It might have been wiped from his memory,’ responded Sam.

‘This’ll be lots better. You can start with the easy stuff and work your way up to the eel and octopus,’ suggested Clint.

‘The maki rolls are delicious, too. I like the rainbow rolls,’ added Natasha.

‘Maybe we all should go out one night. Tony likes that schwarma joint a lot but we can stretch our horizons in the culinary area,’ said Sam. 

‘This is very true. We could go to one of those restaurants that have the private rooms. Do you think Thor would eat his weight in sushi?’ asked Clint.

‘I think he would _try_ ,’ answered Sam. ‘And I want to be there to see Tony pay _that_ bill.’

‘I’m in,’ announced Natasha, a slight smile on her face.

‘Me, too. Not like we want to butt in on your date night but you think we could schedule another time to go out as a group?’ asked Clint.

‘I’m up for sushi any darn time. When we have movie night next, let’s bring it up. We should be able to figure something out,’ said Sam.

‘Sweet. All right. I gotta’ go check out some new arrows Tony made me. He says they have extra boom power. I’ll be the judge of that,’ said Clint, loftily. He finished his orange juice and washed out the glass, setting it on the drainer to air dry.

‘Have fun,’ commented Sam.

‘See you later,’ said Natasha. She kissed Clint on the cheek and slapped his butt, laughing at his ‘hey!’ of shock and delight.

Sam chuckled as he finished his apple and threw the core into the compost bin. 

‘Gotta keep Barton on his toes. The man starts getting crabby if things are too predictable,’ said Natasha, a smile hovering at the corner of her lips.

‘Can’t have that, can we?’ asked Sam, a full out grin on his face.

‘Nope. Can’t. The world would fall off its axis and the ice caps would melt. The scientists would have a field day,’ commented Natasha, the smile on her face open and lovely.

‘Is it hard with Phil absent so often?’ asked Sam.

‘It can be. But then again, it’s better than him being _dead_ ,’ said Natasha, her smile fading away. ‘It was quite the shock to discover he wasn’t as dead as we thought… and that Fury had selected him to be the new Director of SHIELD.’

‘I’d need a few minutes to recover from that news,’ agreed Sam.

‘I’m still thinking about it. I mean… we were told he died and we didn’t have the time to grieve… I’d just got Clint back from Loki’s mindfuck… and then we had to go fight aliens,’ murmured Natasha.

‘No time at all to really think it all through. Especially with all the emotions running high. And then, shortly after that, we have the big thing with SHIELD happen. And everything you’ve done gets put out in the open. You can’t hide,’ said Sam, his voice soft.

‘Yeah… that’s not an option anymore, is it? I’m glad I did it. I wouldn’t have changed a thing, you know. Screwing Pierce and HYDRA over… there was no other choice for me, not when I realize I was a dupe, too. I left the Red Room, I defected because Barton… he understood I needed something more than that,’ said Natasha. She blinked rapidly and Sam handed her a tissue.

‘Still doesn’t make it hard. It’s been a survival technique, not just a skill set. That ability to blend in, to become someone else… it was useful. And now that you’ve chosen to set that aside for now?’ asked Sam, letting the question hang.

Natasha sighed, shakily. ‘I keep reminding myself it’s a good thing. I have skills and I’m safe. I don’t have to watch my back, at least not with the people I live with. And I have Clint and Phil… and you guys. It’s just scary, Sam.’

‘Being healthy is scary. People act like it’s no big deal and that’s great if they’ve never had to survive day by day. But for those of us who’ve struggled… it’s huge and it’s too much and it’s scary as fuck,’ said Sam. 

He moved closer and put his hand out. Natasha nodded at him and he enfolded her in his arms. ‘Not a bad thing to be scared, you know. It’s what kept our ancestors alive. Sometimes it still saves our lives. It’s just difficult to know when it’s OK to not be scared. That’s why you have us, Natasha. You can be scared or you can be sure and we’re here for you no matter what.’

Natasha breathed in deep and relaxed in Sam’s arms. Sam gently ran his fingers through her hair, marveling at how soft it was. ‘Thank you for trusting me, Natasha. I know that’s hard for you, too.’

Natasha chuckled. ‘You make it pretty easy, Wilson.’

‘Awww… you say that to all the guys with wings,’ teased Sam. He hugged her once and then stepped back, holding her hands and studying her.

Natasha tilted her head and looked him in the eye. Her eyes were a little red rimmed and the tip of her nose was pink but she looked as serene as Sam has ever seen her.

‘Anytime you want to talk, Natasha, you let me know. I’m happy to be a listening ear,’ invited Sam.

‘Thank you, Sam.’ Natasha smile changed, became sly and Sam groaned. 

‘What?’ he asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

‘If you weren’t already occupied with two super soldiers, I’d campaign for you to join Clint, Phil, and I. You’d be a welcome addition,’ purred Natasha, laughing when Sam blushed from the tips of his ears to the apples of his cheeks.

‘Ahhh… I’ll certainly take that under advisement,’ he said, diplomatically, not even knowing how he’d bring _that_ topic up with Steve and Bucky.

Natasha chortled and patted his face, gently. ‘You’re a good egg, Sam. Just keep us in mind. I know Bucky and Steve will share if you ask, nicely.’

Sam coughed. He knew _exactly_ how much Bucky and Steve liked hearing him ask nicely for a great number of things.

Natasha gave him one more sly look, as if she could read his mind, and let go of Sam’s hand. 

Sam wondered how he’d explain this one to Steve and Bucky but decided he shouldn’t even try. Besides, he knew Bucky would tease him for days about it and Steve would just glance at him with those eyes of his and grin.

Damn it. Why did he open that door again?

**

Most mornings had the same routine. Sam would wake up in between two super soldiers. One (Bucky) would sleep on the outer edge. The other (Steve) would sleep against the window. He’d wiggle himself out from under Steve’s arm and then maneuver himself so he wouldn’t get smacked in the face by Bucky’s metal arm.

After that, he’d get up and go to the bathroom to take a shower, shave if needed, and change into running gear. By that time, Steve would be sitting up on the edge of the bed, needling Bucky to wake up.

Sam would smile as Bucky would pull Steve down to the bed and tussle with him, ruffling Steve’s baby fine blond hair into rows of rat’s nests. 

Bucky would smile up at Sam, his eyes alight with humor and delight. Sam couldn’t help but smile back. 

Some mornings, Bucky would find it difficult to get out of bed. He’d tuck the sheets around himself and hide under the comforter.

Sam and Steve would rub his shoulders and hold him, asking if he’d like to join them on a run. Sometimes, Bucky would just need a few more minutes of time with them. Other times, he’d shake his head ‘no’ and Sam and Steve would give him a reassuring hug. They’d make sure the blankets were tucked in around Bucky and would set Steve’s shield where Bucky could easily get to it. They didn’t delude themselves into thinking he didn’t have any other weapons squirreled away.

The shield would be Bucky’s to guard and to use if needed. It reminded him of Steve. It centered him and if he was feeling more grounded when they came back, he’d be up and waiting for them.

Steve and Sam (and oftentimes, Bucky) would head out for a brisk run. Sam would do his valiant best to run as fast as Steve and Bucky. Par for the course, he’d lose that battle and snort every time Steve muttered, ‘On your left!’

When Bucky began saying, ‘On your right!’ Sam would throw his hands up in the air and yell, ‘Are you serious???’

This was when he knew he was dating young men in their early twenties because Steve and Bucky would just grin at him unrepentantly.

‘That was funny only the one… no, wait… never!’ exclaimed Sam at the end of their run.

Steve would guzzle down a bottle of water and Bucky would pour some over his head and shake like a dog who’d been caught out in the rain.

Sam would sigh and wipe his face dry with the tail of his t shirt. They’d all walk back to the Tower together and make breakfast, smiling at each other as they ate, perched on stools at the breakfast bar.

This morning, Sam woke up to find Steve and Bucky sitting up, waiting for him. He frowned slightly. ‘Did I have a nightmare?’ he asked. He still had them; they all did. His lessened in intensity after they’d begun sharing a bed but he still had bad nights from time to time.

‘No... ‘ answered Steve.

‘Is something wrong?’ asked Sam.

Steve and Bucky exchanged looks and Sam was struck again by how young his partners were. They might have gone through experiences no one else had but they were still maturing emotionally.

‘It’s OK,’ said Sam. ‘You can talk to me, you know.’

Steve shrugged and bit his lip. Bucky glanced at him, then turned his attention to Sam. ‘It’s hard to talk about things, sometimes.’

‘I know. But I thought we agreed talking to each other would make our relationship work,’ replied Sam, his voice as reassuring as he could make it.

‘No, you’re right…. it’s… Sam, are you happy with us?’ asked Bucky.

Sam stared at Bucky for a minute, perplexed. ‘Did I give the impression I wasn’t?’ he managed.

Steve smiled, shyly. ‘I think his reaction says it all, Buck. Doesn’t look like a man who wants to cut and run.’

Sam sat up straighter, the sleep completely gone from his mind. ‘Whoa… whoa, wait a minute. Who said I was unhappy?’

‘Nobody… just… do you want to date other people?’ asked Steve, his cheeks pink.

Sam gazed at him. ‘Does this have something to do with Natasha or Clint?’ he asked, mildly. The other night, Clint had rested his feet on Sam’s thighs and Natasha had put her head on his shoulder as they all watched a movie. 

‘Ahhhh…. yeah?’ tried Steve.

‘As much as I care for Clint and for Natasha, I’m not looking to add to my dance card. I have two wonderful men in my life. I never expected to find myself with the two of you but I’m sure not looking a gift horse in the mouth,’ answered Sam.

Bucky smiled. ‘See, Stevie? Sam thinks we’re pretty swell. There wasn’t anything to worry about.’

Steve snorted. ‘You can act nonchalant but that wasn’t _your_ knee being gripped during movie night, pal. Good thing I can handle you… better thing it wasn’t your metal hand.’

Bucky turned pink. ‘Sorry, Stevie,’ he mumbled.

‘OK, guys… let’s talk about this for a minute,’ asked Sam. He looked at Steve. ‘Do I need to make things clearer about physical affection?’

‘Maybe?’ asked Steve. He looked over at Bucky who nodded in reply.

‘OK. See, my family was always big on physical affection. Hugs from my daddy and kisses from my momma were something that happened every day. When the whole family got together, we could spend a good ten minutes hugging each other and saying hello. That was fun when I was a kid… not so much when I was a teen,’ said Sam with a grin.

‘My momma told me that it was important to show a child affection. She said that children needed sun, food, and love to grow. I got plenty of sun because I was always out with my cousins or friends. My momma made sure I had more than enough to eat. And the love was always there. I never questioned it, kind of took it for granted when I was little,’ continued Sam.

‘That sounds like a great family,’ commented Steve. He’d lost the pinched look on his face as Sam talked and had leaned against Sam, his warmth a welcome presence against his side.

‘It was a great family. But when I got bigger, I realized not everyone had what I had. Food or love. So I started bringing my friends home. Momma would feed all of us, would get to know my friends… we all hung out at the house and my friends would get hugs from her. I never thought about it but I realize now my friends who needed it the most would hold onto her the longest,’ said Sam, softly.

‘Some kids grow up in rough homes,’ muttered Bucky. ‘I had Steve so I never thought I didn’t have attention but I knew kids whose dad knocked them around, some. Back in those days, you just didn’t… you minded your own business. Kept to yourself if that sort of thing was going on.’

‘Yeah. They talk about ‘the good old days’ but that’s bull. There’s plenty about those days that wasn’t good,’ added Steve.

Sam smiled at the two of them. ‘So for me, giving my friends physical affection is like… breathing, I guess. I don’t think about it. I was fortunate to have as much as I needed. And my momma set the example that it’s a good thing to pass that along. Now, I don’t know a lot about Natasha or Clint’s childhoods but I know enough. It’s says something that they can show affection around me… or let me know they’d like some attention.’

‘Never thought about it like that but I should have. Clint’s childhood was a living nightmare. Natasha… well, you know,’ said Steve, nodding apologetically at Bucky.

‘Natasha didn’t _have_ a childhood,’ said Bucky, bluntly. ‘Unless you want to count the harsh discipline and fear of failure as anything.’

‘Right. So I’m perfectly happy giving them unconditional affection because it’s something they’re not used to and it’s something they should have,’ said Sam.

‘That makes a lot of sense. Sorry, Sam,’ apologized Steve.

‘Nothing to be sorry for, Steve. You wanted to know where things stand with them and me. I’m happy to reassure you and Bucky, too,’ replied Sam.

Bucky yawned. ‘OK, now that we know Sam isn’t going anywhere, I’m going to go back to sleep. I’m wiped out.’

Sam tucked Bucky in and gave him a gentle kiss. ‘I’m going to go for my run and then I’ll wake you up… see if you’re up for breakfast. How does that sound?’

‘Sounds about right to me. Have a good run. Watch out for Steve,’ murmured Bucky, drifting asleep.

Sam chuckled and turned to Steve who’d climbed out of bed and was pulling a pair of sweatpants on. ‘You in the mood to go for a run?’ asked Sam.

‘Yeah! I’m fine. A run will do me good. Work up an appetite for eggs and bacon after we’re done,’ reassured Steve.

‘That sounds good. Some orange juice, too,’ suggested Sam as he put his running shoes on and walked towards the outer door to the lobby. Steve had requested a lobby be put in so that Bucky wouldn’t feel intruded upon when the elevator opened up to their floor.

Steve followed, grabbing a hoodie and pulling it over his head. He slung his arm around Sam’s shoulder as the elevator door opened and squeezed him, briefly, before stepping into the elevator.

Sam stepped in as well and leaned against the back wall as Steve pressed the button to the ground level.

‘Thanks for talking to me, you and Bucky,’ said Sam, smiling.

Steve shrugged, looking sheepish. ‘Bucky was really worried. And I was a little concerned.’

‘A little?’ asked Sam, raising an eyebrow.

Steve looked even more sheepish. ‘OK, a lot more concerned. I told Bucky we could talk to you in the morning… he’d been thinking about it the past couple of days and was having a hard time. I reminded him it’s healthy to talk about these things. And that I’d be there.’

‘I’m glad you both did. I hope it helped,’ said Sam.

‘It did. Bucky went right to sleep, as you saw. And I’m ready to lap you, old man,’ teased Steve.

‘Wait… who’s calling who old?’ demanded Sam as they stepped out into the sun.

**

Sam loved visiting Bruce Banner’s lab, even though he wasn’t sure of everything that went on down there. He knew his science well enough but he was still awestruck at what Bruce had up on holograms and diagrams. He’d read a couple of articles Bruce had published in scientific journals and felt like a little kid again. He was giddy to see how far science had come. Whenever Sam talked to Bruce about science, he felt like he was getting a glimpse into the future.

‘Hey… I brought some fruit smoothies down… I know you’re busy working on something so I didn’t know if you’ve taken the time to eat yet, today,’ announced Sam as he came through the door. He had two fruit smoothies in his hand. 

Bruce looked up and smiled. ‘Hey! I appreciate the gesture. I haven’t eaten anything yet and I was about to take a break. A smoothie sounds great!’

Sam handed Bruce a smoothie and then studied the hologram in front of him. ‘Is this more of that stuff you and Dr Foster are working on?’ he asked.

‘Yeah. If we get this sorted out, it’s going to be a fantastic paper for Jane. She’ll really be making her mark, then,’ answered Bruce.

‘How about you? Are you going to be the co-author?’ asked Sam.

Bruce shrugged. ‘I have my name out there enough. I’ve got my own credentials. I’m happy to be the research guy in this case. It’s time for Jane’s star to really shine.’

Sam nodded his head. ‘I can’t wait to see Thor’s face when he sees her article in print. He loves it when she’s happy and her brilliance is being acknowledged.’

‘Thor’s pretty awesome,’ agreed Bruce. ‘He brings back stuff from Asgard for the both of us to study. It’s just amazing. Someday, I’d like to go there… see all the places he’s talked about. Meet Heimdall. Talk about the galaxy and worlds and time passing with him.’

‘Heimdall is one seriously scary dude, though. I’ve heard enough about him to make me want to watch my step. Anyone who can find me _anywhere_ in the Nine Realms is someone to take very seriously,’ commented Sam.

Bruce grinned. ‘Yeah. But I bet he can talk geek like nobody else.’

Sam chuckled and took another sip of his smoothie.

‘How are things going? You and the guys doing alright?’ asked Bruce.

‘We’re doing fine. I was going to ask if you and Tony are all right with Steve joining Bucky and me,’ said Sam.

‘Oh, you know Tony. He needs his share of attention but he’s getting better at understanding the pie doesn’t shrink when people get added to it. It gets larger. And he gets a larger share of the pie as well,’ explained Bruce.

‘That makes a lot of sense… and now I’m craving pie something fierce!’ laughed Sam. ‘I’m glad Tony’s alright with everything. And I honestly didn’t worry too much about you, Bruce. I knew you’d come to us if you had any questions or concerns.’

‘I would have. I know Steve is happy and if Steve’s happy, Tony’s happy. And then I’m happy because Tony is a lot easier to talk to when he’s not worried or obsessing over Steve and everything else,’ said Bruce.

‘OK… so we’re all good,’ summed up Sam. He took another sip of his smoothie. 

‘Yes, we are. Have you ever got the sneaking suspicion you’re one of the linchpins around here,’ commented Bruce.

‘All the time,’ admitted Sam. ‘I think it’s you, Coulson, and me who keep our little circles spinning happily. And not crashing.’

‘I agree. It’s not bad being the linchpin but every now and then… I’d offer to get together with you and Coulson to vent but I think he’s mostly unavailable, now,’ said Bruce, ruefully.

‘Some promotion he got. I’m glad I’m not him. It was more than enough to go after Bucky. That’s something I haven’t figured out how to put on my resume,’ said Sam.

Bruce chuckled. ‘I haven’t figured out how to put the other guy on my resume, either, so I think we’re on the same page.’

There was a comfortable silence while the men drank their smoothies. Bruce broke the silence by pushing over a hologram to Sam and asking him if he’d heard of dark matter before. Sam replied he’d read a variation of it in a trilogy, once. Bruce laughed and said he’d read the same books.

Sam then leaned over and asked Bruce what his Daemon would look like. 

‘Hm. That’s something I’d need to think about. Would yours still be a falcon?’ asked Bruce, curious.

‘Probably. I’ve had an affinity with birds and have always liked falcons ever since I was a kid. It wouldn’t surprise me if mine was some variation of a falcon,’ replied Sam.

‘I’d like to be a big bear, I think… something along the lines of Ioreth,’ mused Bruce.

‘Bigger than the other guy?’ asked Sam, squinting his eyes slightly as he gazed at Bruce, imagining.

‘Probably. Would need a daemon big enough to handle the other guy, I’d think. It’d be pretty epic,’ said Bruce, a smile at the corners of his mouth.

‘It’d be epic and intimidating. I’d love to see it, though,’ said Sam, nodding his head. He looked at the hologram, again. ‘Wait… all that stuff floating around… that’s what you’re referring to, right?’

‘Yup. Now, here’s what Jane has to say about it,’ began Bruce and Sam sat back with a delighted smile on his face. 

‘Science is awesome,’ said Sam, after taking in what Bruce told him, touching the edges of the hologram with tentative fingers.

Bruce pushed the hologram closer. ‘Totally,’ he agreed, smoothing out the hologram and telling Sam more about dark matter.

**

It wasn’t normally Sam’s gig to intrude upon Tony’s domain. His workshop was his space and while Sam was aware of how to get to it if he needed anything from Tony, he normally didn’t visit on a whim.

Now, though, he’d been invited by Tony to stop by so he could check out the improvements to the wings Tony had made. Sam wondered if Tony was ever going to stop tweaking the wings and then told himself that was a ridiculous question. 

The music was like a wave that enveloped Sam as soon as he stepped into the shop. He walked over to where Tony was staring at the wings on a stand and stood next to him.

‘Hey! There you are!’ exclaimed Tony. He turned down the music and gestured at the wings. ‘Aren’t these a work of art?’

‘They’re amazing, Tony,’ said Sam, touching one metallic tip. ‘What did you do to them this time?’

‘A few small upgrades,’ answered Tony. He touched the jetpack. ‘Best start out slow with these. They’ve got a little more kick to them, now.’

Sam smirked. ‘Just a little, huh?’ he teased. Tony smiled, reluctantly.

‘And this?’ asked Sam, circling round to touch the edges on the wings. It reminded him of lattice if lattice looked like thorns around a fence.

‘That’s so you can’t get lassoed down again. They’ll cut through anything. I’d suggest you not run your hands over them,’ explained Tony.

Sam sighed. ‘Tony, how am I supposed to get them on without touching them?’

‘OK, I’m pulling your leg. Here, press this button first and they’ll slide in. Press it again and they’ll come out. I’ve made sure you won’t accidentally get cut by them and you only need to press that if you need it. I just wanted to make sure you would be covered,’ said Tony.

Sam pressed the small button on the side of his jetpack and the lattice slid in and were completely covered by the edge of the wings.

‘That’s pretty sweet, Tony,’ complimented Sam. ‘I think you’ve covered everything.’

‘We’re not done, yet,’ warned Tony, turning to another display that held pieces of clothing.

‘Is this for me?’ asked Sam.

‘I’m apparently following in dearly departed dad’s footsteps. I’ve talked to Bucky a little and he’s worried you’re too vulnerable without more protection. So I came up with this,’ said Tony. ‘Be happy I reminded him you needed to be lightweight and portable, still. I think he wanted you in a suit of your own.’

‘That wouldn’t have worked very well,’ agreed Sam. ‘Looks easy to put on.’

‘It is. You have a jacket, gloves, pants, and these,’ said Tony, lifting a pair of goggles up.

‘What do those do?’ asked Sam, touching them with a cautious finger.

‘Put them on,’ instructed Tony.

Sam put the goggles on and smiled. ‘Looks like I have my own mapping system, here if I need it. And… wait a minute...’

He stared at Tony through the goggles. Tony had the grace to look somewhat abashed.

Sam cocked his head as a small image of Jarvis flickered in the lower left of the information feed.

‘I… I put in a very small AI chip so Jarvis could talk to you if needed. Obviously, you can communicate with the team but I wanted you to have a little something more, just in case,’ muttered Tony.

Sam sighed. ‘You really do like to look out for us with all this fancy stuff, don’t you?’

Tony shrugged. ‘Keeps me busy. I get twitchy, sometimes. And I can only re-design the Iron Man suit so many times. Natasha and Clint have something like this, too. Clint’s goggles are a lot like yours.’

‘Huh. Hullo, Jarvis. You want to go for a spin, sometime?’ asked Sam.

Jarvis chuckled. ‘It would be a different experience than flying with sir, I imagine. Whenever you’d like to test the suit and these goggles out, do let me know. It could be fun.’

‘I will,’ promised Sam. ‘Thanks, Jarvis. Kinda nice knowing you have my back.’

‘You’re very welcome. My pleasure, Sam,’ replied Jarvis.

Sam took the goggles off and placed them back on the stand. ‘Hopefully, I only need to test run this and then not have to change into everything for a while. It’s nice to have a break.’

‘It is. Pepper has me redesigning some stuff for the clean energy project Stark Industries is promoting. Bruce is ecstatic. There’s a few villages in India who will be able to use the water cleaning system. It’s going to make a huge difference,’ said Tony, calling up the hologram for the system.

‘Are you going to go over there and check it out when it’s installed?’ asked Sam, listening as Tony explained the different parts and how it all worked together.

‘I might. Bruce is definitely flying over there. Steve says he wouldn’t mind tagging along, just to see something of mine that doesn’t blow things up, as he put it. And it might be nice to have that time away. It might help a little,’ murmured Tony, not meeting Sam’s eye as he shut down the hologram.

‘Have you been having some anxiety attacks?’ asked Sam, gently.

‘A few, here and there. Nothing big.’ Tony hunched up his shoulders and then threw a wrench across the workshop. 

‘Anxiety attacks always seem big,’ commented Sam. ‘I still have mine. I still wake up in a cold sweat, sometimes. I keep thinking I’m over the worst of it and then something sets it off and I’m bending over, taking deep breaths. Telling myself it’s OK.’

‘Still? After...’ Tony waved his hand around and grimaced. ‘Sorry. I don’t mean to sound like you should be over it… just… damn it.’

‘No, I get it. Hey, PTSD doesn’t play by any rules, Tony. It comes and goes as it pleases. It doesn’t have to make sense because it messes with people in the most mundane ways. I know people who can’t walk by a cardboard box on the street. Some people don’t like plastic bags that drift in the wind. Some people can’t stand the taste of certain foods or can’t smell certain scents. It’s all in how their brain gets triggered,’ explained Sam.

‘A cardboard box?’ repeated Tony, lifting his eyebrows.

‘Yeah. Bombs and all,’ explained Sam.

‘Ok. That makes a lot of sense. Common day objects can do it, huh?’ asked Tony.

‘Common day objects. Which makes it kind of worse, sometimes. It’s easy to understand something that’s new and strange… something that’s frightening to people. A person can forgive themselves easier for freaking out. But freaking out over boxes and plastic bags? Man, that’s harsh,’ said Sam.

‘There’s groups that can help with this, though? Like, PTSD and anxiety?’ asked Tony, walking over to pick up the wrench he’d flung.

‘Yeah. There’s some great support groups. You know I run one for vets. It’s drop in… there’s no required attendance… and people come and go as they need,’ said Sam.

‘Does Steve or Bucky go?’ asked Tony, curiosity in his voice.

‘I can’t tell you that, you know. There’s also complete confidentiality. Who goes to group and what happens in group stays in group,’ said Sam, gently.

‘That’s fair. You think someone would talk if I came to your group?’ asked Tony, smiling slightly.

‘They better not. They wouldn’t. These people respect privacy because they want it for themselves. The more important question is would it be too weird for you to have me leading the group?’ asked Sam.

‘I don’t think so. Christ, here I am, talking to you about shit that I usually need a few drinks in me to do so that’s pretty awesome. Can I drink at group?’ asked Tony.

‘No, Tony. But I think you knew that,’ chided Sam.

‘Yeah. I’m being a dick. OK, you never know. I may show up. Or… maybe I can just talk to you from time to time. If I need to,’ said Tony, his voice subdued.

‘Tony, you are more than welcome to find me if you need to talk. We could go out for lunch… or hang out here… whatever, just ask. I may not be able to at the time or I may need to take a day for me… but for the most part, if I can right then, I will,’ said Sam.

Tony nodded his head and then smiled at Sam, the megawatt smile Sam was used to seeing on the front of magazines.

Sam raised his eyebrows when Tony began walking towards him.

‘I hope Steve and Bucky know how lucky they are to have you,’ purred Tony.

‘It’s a mutual thing. They’re wonderful men and I’m equally lucky to have them,’ answered Sam, his eyes widening slightly as Tony cupped the back of his head with one hand and put his other on Sam’s waist.

‘Uh...’ began Sam but stopped when Tony leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

‘Wait… what was that for?’ asked Sam.

‘Thank you. And… you’re a magnet for us, you know,’ said Tony, leaning back and smiling, his hands back in his pockets.

‘What kind of magnet?’ asked Sam, intrigued. He sat down on the couch near the workbench and stretched out his legs.

‘Some sort of super sexy super sweet handsome snugglebear of a guy,’ said Tony, grinning as Sam blushed.

‘Oh, stop. I’m sure you’re over exaggerating,’ scoffed Sam. ‘Look. I try to be decent to everyone. I was raised to be kind, to think of others, to put myself in their shoes. That’s how I do things. Nothing special about that.’

Tony snorted. ‘Says you. Most of us are used to being treated poorly. Except Steve. He’s just used to losing everyone he loves so he hangs on tighter than a tick. But the rest of us?’ Tony shifted restlessly and tossed the wrench onto the workbench. ‘The rest of us gravitate towards you like bees to flowers.’

‘I think it’s pretty crappy that you guys have that in common,’ said Sam. ‘That whole being treated poorly stuff. No one should have a common bond because of that. It’s not right.’

‘Doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. I’m surprised no one’s really put the moves on you,’ commented Tony.

‘Everyone respects boundaries. Yourself included,’ reminded Sam. ‘This poly stuff is big on boundaries and I like that.’

‘I like that, too. Oh, I know. Me, Mr Boundaries are for Losers and all but… after learning how to be in a good relationship with Bruce and Steve… it makes a lot of sense,’ said Tony. He frowned. ‘I think I need a drink.’

Sam sighed as Tony walked over to the cabinet near the fridge and pulled out a bottle of Scotch. Tony poured himself a generous amount and looked at Sam.

‘Do you want some?’ he asked.

‘No, that’s OK,’ demurred Sam. He made a private note to ask Steve and Bruce about Tony’s drinking.

Tony took a large sip and sat down next to Sam. ‘You don’t mind sharing Steve with us?’ 

‘No. Because he wants to be with us and with you and Bruce. And we don’t need to fight over it. Sides, it lets me have one on one time with Bucky and that’s important, too. And when Steve and Bucky go on a date, I just hang out with all of you,’ replied Sam.

‘Are you doing better with all that? The whole nobody’s screaming and blowing shit up?’ asked Tony.

Sam chuckled. ‘Yeah… I’m doing much better. It’s cool, not having to stress about the drama or anything. The only drama we have is deciding where to go out on a date. I can handle that.’

‘Did you guys go out for sushi yet?’ asked Tony.

‘Figured we’d wait until the team was together. It’d be fun to go to one of those restaurants with the private rooms. Could you imagine?’ asked Sam.

‘I can imagine Thor and Steve and Bucky eating their weight in sushi. And the restaurant chasing us out the door. And me paying for it. But that’s OK because it’s all going on YouTube and I will be an instant star,’ said Tony with a grin.

‘That you will be. Although, I think you’re used to that. Clint’s still pouting because your video got more hits than his did,’ reminded Sam.

Tony laughed. ‘He thought having a dog in the video would make it better. Hah! Just goes to show that robots trump dogs anytime.’

Sam chuckled. ‘So do you wanna’ have me ask Pepper to schedule us an outing? We could all go have some sushi and hang. Multiple date night and all.’

‘Talk about multi tasking!’ teased Tony. ‘Yeah. I’d schedule it but… well, you know.’

‘I do know. OK, will do. Anything else you need me for?’ asked Sam.

‘Unless you want to cover yourself in baby oil and lay bare ass naked on my big bed, can’t think of a thing,’ said Tony.

Sam blushed.

**  
Sushi night found everyone available and excited to go out.

Sam combed Bucky’s hair back into a french braid. ‘You like it like this?’ asked Sam as he finished the plait.

Bucky inspected his stylish hairdo, turning his head this way and that so he could see from all angles. ‘I think I look pretty debonair. Going to show you punks up,’ he commented with satisfaction.

Steve grinned. ‘You sure do look nice. Want some cologne?’

Bucky nodded and Steve tossed him the bottle. ‘Hey… isn’t this the stuff we used way back when?’ asked Bucky, taking a sniff.

‘Not exactly. It’s the same company but the fragrance is a little different. Do you like it?’

‘Yeah. I think it smells all right. Thanks,’ said Bucky, spraying some on.

‘You want some?’ asked Bucky, motioning to Sam.

‘No… I put some other stuff on. I don’t want to confuse Tony,’ teased Sam with a grin. ‘He’s going to give you both grief for wearing the same cologne.’

‘Aw, let him. I’m going to break his bank account with all the sushi I eat,’ said Bucky, shrugging. ‘He can tease a little bit.’

‘We best get going, then. Don’t want to miss out and I think Coulson managed to get a night free. Clint was pretty excited about that,’ said Steve.

They all grinned; Clint’s happiness was infectious and they’d all hugged the archer when he’d crowed the news.

‘After you,’ said Sam, gesturing to the door.

‘What a swell guy,’ commented Bucky, grabbing Steve’s hand as he passed, winking at Sam.

‘Very swell. Much adorbs,’ added Steve, snickering at Bucky’s put upon face. Steve reached back and took hold of Sam’s hand.

Sam shut the door behind him and followed them to the elevator. They were going to all meet up in the commons area.

They rode the elevator down, smiling at each other. The door opened and Bucky stepped out, followed by Steve and then Sam.

Natasha was there, waiting to give them all a hug. ‘Hey! You guys sure clean up nice,’ she teased, taking in their dark blue jeans (black skinny jeans in Bucky’s case) and crisp dress shirts.

‘Not too bad for a couple of fellas from the forties,’ said Bucky.

‘You look pretty darn nice yourself,’ said Steve, taking in Natasha’s outfit. She spun around for him, laughing.

‘Dark blue looks fantastic on you,’ complimented Sam, taking in the dress that ended at Natasha’s knees.

‘Thanks, Sam. See, Barton? Sam knows how to give compliments,’ called out Natasha.

‘What did Clint say?’ asked Sam, almost not wanting to know the answer.

‘Oh, he whistled and said, ‘that ass!’ before he ran for it,’ answered Natasha, rolling her eyes.

‘He better still be running,’ muttered Bucky, darkly.

‘No… I’ve got him,’ answered a new voice. 

They all looked over to see Phil standing there with Clint’s shirt collar in his hand, Clint hunched over sheepishly.

‘Sorry, Nat. I was joking,’ said Clint.

‘I know. You’re lucky I think you’re cute. And that you like being tied up,’ said Nat with a grin.

‘Aw, Nat, no!’ cried Clint, cringing.

‘Ah, revenge is a dish best served cold. Well done, Natasha,’ commented Sam, chuckling at Clint’s woebegone look and Bucky’s look of glee.

Before Bucky could say anything, Bruce and Tony joined them. Bruce glanced at all of them and sighed.

‘What mischief is being concocted _now_?’ he asked.

‘Uh… it’s for science?’ tried Bucky.

Tony snorted. ‘Good try, pal. Since you’re the one not blowing things up, you can’t say that. That’s mine and Bruce’s.’

‘Define ‘blowing things up’, Stark. Sides, you aren’t the boss of me,’ countered Bucky.

‘You have a point there, Barnes. Still. We all here, yet?’ asked Tony.

‘I think we’re missing Pepper,’ pointed out Phil.

‘Pepper is meeting us at the restaurant. She wants to make sure the biggest room is reserved for us. I told her we’d be there pretty quick. We’d better get moving,’ answered Tony. 

‘How are we getting there? Taking a couple of cars?’ asked Steve.

‘Nah. Happy has the big stretch limo. He’s going to haul all of us there and back. It’ll be a lot easier that way,’ answered Tony.

‘I dunno, Stark. All of us in one vehicle? Could be asking for trouble. Might be better to split up in twos or threes,’ said Bucky with a slight frown.

‘As if you all don’t have weapons hidden on your body. I know Natasha has at least four. You probably have two or three. Clint has a couple. The Iron Man suit will be in the trunk. And Phil here’s got to be packing some heat,’ said Tony.

There was a slight pause and then Thor walked into the room, tossing his hammer up and down casually. ‘I’d like to see the foolish foe try to take us on. It would give zest to my appetite.’

Sam stared at Thor. ‘Yeah, I don’t need any extra zest. I’ll eat just fine without someone trying to shoot me. Or stab me. Or just kill me outright. I’m going to be the party pooper of the group.’

Thor laughed. ‘Well said, Sam. We shall split up into three chariots and the one who gets there the fastest wins.’

There was a moment of silence. Everyone eyed everyone else.

Then, the mad rush to the elevator as somehow they all managed to get into it.

Sam thought again for the umpteenth time what possessed him to open the front door when Steve and Natasha came knocking. He must have had a temporary brain tumor. That had to be the only explanation.

Bucky and Steve ran to Bucky’s new car, yelling for Sam to jump in with them.

Phil, Clint, and Natasha strolled to Phil’s huge SUV.

Tony, Bruce, and a laughing Thor hurried to the limo where Happy helped them in and then quickly closed the door and got into the driver’s seat.

‘This is going to be just like ‘Mario Cart!’’ exclaimed Bucky as he revved the motor and sped out of the garage.

Sam closed his eyes and prayed for grace.

**

Bucky, Steve, and Sam stood next to Pepper with grins on their faces. Pepper had an indulgent smile quivering at the corners of her mouth.

Bruce, Tony, and Thor ran into the restaurant, visibly wilting when they saw the others.

‘How did you…? Happy must have ran four red lights!’ exclaimed Tony.

‘Tony...’ began Pepper, sternly.

‘Oops,’ muttered Tony.

There was a slight commotion and Phil, Natasha, and Clint walked briskly in, Clint almost walking into Thor.

‘How did you guys get here so fast? Phil knew some back streets,’ muttered Clint, smoothing down his shirt.

Bucky laughed. ‘Punk, this is mine and Steve’s town. Can’t put nothing on us!’

‘Pep! Is that fair? Isn’t that cheating? Pep, that’s got to be cheating!’ exclaimed Tony.

Pepper laughed. ‘All’s fair in love and drag racing, apparently. Good thing no one got a speeding ticket. Now, are you ready for some sushi?’

‘Lead on, MacDuff,’ said Tony, grandly.

‘Follow me. And get your appetites ready,’ suggested Pepper. She nodded to the young woman who had been waiting for them.

‘Excellent. I have indeed brought it, as Clint suggested,’ commented Thor as they were led to their private room.

**

Everyone sat back from the low table. There were bottles of sake on the table and glasses scattered here and there. Clint leaned forward to pick up one last sushi roll and eat it, groaning as he did so.

‘I am not responsible for you if you throw up,’ warned Natasha, rubbing a gentle hand over her stomach.

‘Can’t help it. They made it irresistible,’ explained Clint. He leaned back and rested his hands over his stomach.

Thor was frowning, slightly. ‘How much did I eat?’ he asked. ‘I think I lost count after six trays of sushi.’

‘I think I lost count, too. Did you get enough to eat?’ asked Sam. He ran a comforting hand down the back of Bucky’s head as Bucky moaned his discomfort.

‘I did. When the Warriors Three come for a visit, we shall come here and they can feast like kings,’ promised Thor, nodding his head.

‘I ate too much,’ whispered Bucky. 

‘I overdid it, too, Buck,’ muttered Steve. ‘Who knew these little rolls could fill a fella up like that.’

‘Do I have to drive home?’ asked Sam, rubbing Steve’s back. He was seated between Steve and Bucky and didn’t mind the seating arrangements one bit.

‘Maybe. Depends if I feel a little better when we leave,’ answered Bucky. ‘You have to drive slow, though. I don’t want to mess up the new car.’

‘You won’t,’ reassured Sam. ‘We can sit here for a while. Maybe have some green tea and let our stomachs settle.’

Bruce poured some tea into a ceramic cup and sipped slowly. ‘This is really good. Perfect end to a wonderful dinner.’

‘Thanks, Tony. Pretty nice of you to pay for all of us big eaters,’ added Phil. He smiled at Tony who grinned back.

‘I’m glad everyone got enough. I think the kitchen is taking our name in vain,’ said Tony. He idly flipped over a piece of salmon and began eating portions of it with his chopsticks.

Pepper snorted next to him and poured a small amount of sake into her cup. ‘I think your big tip will make up for it. Next time, it might be wise to call ahead, though. So they can bring in extra food.’

‘Agreed. Please make it a thing that will happen. Maybe we could just buy the whole evening. Would that have been cheaper?’ asked Tony.

‘No. But giving them advance warning would be best,’ suggested Pepper.

Tony finished off the last piece of salmon and leaned against Bruce, snuggling in against his side.

Pepper smiled and nibbled on a maki roll.

Tony leaned forward and picked up his sake glass. ‘Can we do a toast? Is that a thing we can do?’

‘Sure,’ said Bruce. He wrinkled his nose and poured a small amount of sake into his glass. 

Everyone poured varying degrees of sake into their glass and looked at Tony expectedly.

‘May I begin by saying that this is going to empty out one of my bank accounts but I don’t care. It was worth it. Next time, we shall ask them to put in an extra order of sushi,’ said Tony with a grin.

‘Better make it two, Stark!’ called out Bucky, one arm around Steve and the other tilting his sake glass towards Tony.

‘Excellent suggestion, Barnes. Now, a toast. To all of us and to Sam,’ continued Tony, winking at Sam.

Sam groaned and resisted the impulse to bury his face in his hands.

‘Why Sam?’ asked Clint. He poured a little more sake into his cup.

‘Because Sam is the sweetest, the most considerate, the cutest, the sexiest, the most adorable of us all,’ answered Tony.

‘Are you hitting on him?’ asked Clint, tilting his head sideways and staring at Tony.

‘No, Clint. You’d know if I was hitting on him,’ answered Tony with a wicked grin.

‘Are you saying Sam is the most irresistible of all of us?’ asked Steve, matching Tony’s grin.

Phil groaned. ‘Don’t encourage him, Steve.’

‘I’m usually all for encouraging Steve because it means fun for everyone watching but you guys gotta lay off my other fella,’ muttered Bucky.

Sam bumped his shoulder against Bucky’s. ‘Tony’s teasing and he wants to get me all ruffled. I’m not ruffled.’

Bucky stared at him and a reluctant grin widened as he took in Sam’s blush. ‘Uh huh,’ he commented and then he turned to Tony. ‘Do go on.’

Tony chuckled. ‘Are we all in agreement? That Sam Wilson is not only a stand up guy but the one we’d all love to have a cuddle with on a cold night?’

‘Aye!’ cried Thor, sloshing sake over his cup as he waved it enthusiastically.

‘Of course,’ added Natasha, winking at Sam as she grinned openly at him.

‘I agree with Tasha,’ put in Clint, cackling at Sam’s expression of stoic resignation.

Phil just smiled serenely and said not a word.

‘Oh, Tony. This might just rank up there with the rabbit,’ said Pepper with a grin.

Tony spluttered in outrage.

‘Can’t say you’re wrong about Sam,’ put in Bucky. He leaned over and kissed Sam’s cheek.

‘Gotta say. On a cold night, it’s awfully nice to have an armful of Sam Wilson,’ commented Steve, his tone warm and reminiscent.

Sam groaned and Tony and Clint both lost it. Thor, after blinking at them, laughed as well.

‘OK… OK, so a toast to us and a toast to Sam, the Falcon with the mostest!’ cried Tony, raising his sake glass high.

Everyone else followed suit and then drank the sake in one swallow.

Sam sighed as Steve and Bucky leaned into him and he swallowed the last of his sake. He was feeling warm all over and it wasn’t just from the alcohol.

‘All teasing aside, you’re a great guy to be around and a great friend. Thanks for joining up with Steve and bringing Big Red back home,’ added Tony, nodding at an amused Bucky.

‘Thanks for not shutting the door in our face,’ said Natasha, smiling at Sam.

‘Thanks for everything,’ said Steve, smiling at Sam.

Bucky just nudged into Sam harder and whispered something that had Sam turning a deep red.

‘And Sam… just so you know. The offer of baby oil and a big comfy bed is still out there,’ ended Tony.

Sam rolled his eyes. ‘Thanks, Tony… I, uh… appreciate the offer. But I’m good.’

‘Yeah. And we can get our _own_ bottle of baby oil,’ retorted Bucky.

They looked over when they heard someone clearing their throat and saw their hostess standing there with the check for their sushi and blushing profusely.

‘BIG tip, Tony. B-I-I-I-G tip,’ suggested Sam.

Tony sighed. ‘Yeah. I know. Worth it, though. So worth it.’ He grinned at Sam and took in the fading blush on Sam’s cheeks. ‘Yup. Gotta get a picture of that.’

‘On it,’ said Clint, whipping his phone out and snapping a photo of Sam.

‘Aw, man… that wasn’t my good side!’ protested Sam.

‘Gotta take a better photo,’ suggested Bucky. He tugged Sam closer to him and motioned for Steve to scoot in as well.

Clint grinned happily and snapped another photo of them.

‘My twitter feed is gonna explode with happiness!’ commented Clint, texting furiously on his phone.

Sam sighed. He looked around at everyone. They all were smiling at him and he could feel the corners of his mouth turning up in response.

Nope, he didn’t regret opening his door and inviting Steve and Natasha in one bit.


End file.
